Key features of human rights in Switzerland
Switzerland: Key features of human rights was 0.95 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key features of human rights in Switzerland, 1798–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 0.95 for key features of human rights in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of human rights in Switzerland peaked at 0.96 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.758, in 1798.
That places Switzerland 6th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 228 years of available data.
Key features of human rights in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1798 | 0.758 | — |
| 1799 | 0.758 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.758 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.758 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.758 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.758 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.766 | +1.1% |
| 1805 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.759 | -0.9% |
| 1831 | 0.768 | +1.2% |
| 1832 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.768 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.79 | +2.9% |
| 1849 | 0.837 | +5.9% |
| 1850 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.869 | +3.8% |
| 1871 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.871 | +0.2% |
| 1901 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.866 | -0.6% |
| 1915 | 0.864 | -0.2% |
| 1916 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.867 | +0.3% |
| 1919 | 0.873 | +0.7% |
| 1920 | 0.877 | +0.5% |
| 1921 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.877 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.866 | -1.3% |
| 1933 | 0.881 | +1.7% |
| 1934 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.878 | -0.3% |
| 1940 | 0.875 | -0.3% |
| 1941 | 0.875 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.875 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.875 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.876 | +0.1% |
| 1945 | 0.89 | +1.6% |
| 1946 | 0.898 | +0.9% |
| 1947 | 0.898 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.898 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.898 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.902 | +0.4% |
| 1951 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.912 | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 0.912 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.912 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.912 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.921 | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.928 | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 0.93 | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.932 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 0.938 | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 0.946 | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.948 | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 0.952 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 0.952 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.959 | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.956 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.955 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.96 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 0.96 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.96 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.96 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.96 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.952 | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 0.954 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 0.953 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 0.951 | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.95 | -0.1% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 0.95 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.906, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 0.95 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8795, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1790s | 0.758 | 0.758 | 0.758 | 2 |
| 1800s | 0.7628 | 0.758 | 0.766 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.766 | 0.766 | 0.766 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.766 | 0.766 | 0.766 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.7671 | 0.759 | 0.768 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.7771 | 0.768 | 0.837 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.837 | 0.837 | 0.837 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.837 | 0.837 | 0.837 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.869 | 0.869 | 0.869 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.869 | 0.869 | 0.869 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.869 | 0.869 | 0.869 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.871 | 0.871 | 0.871 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.8682 | 0.864 | 0.873 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.877 | 0.877 | 0.877 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.8784 | 0.866 | 0.881 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.8858 | 0.875 | 0.898 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.902 | 0.902 | 0.902 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.902 | 0.902 | 0.902 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9174 | 0.912 | 0.921 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.93 | 0.928 | 0.932 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9454 | 0.938 | 0.948 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9573 | 0.952 | 0.959 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9575 | 0.955 | 0.96 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9518 | 0.95 | 0.954 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More social development data for Switzerland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 208,287 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key features of human rights in Switzerland?
- Key features of human rights in Switzerland was 0.95 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of human rights recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 0.96 in 2015.
- What is the lowest key features of human rights recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.758 in 1798.
- How does Switzerland rank for key features of human rights?
- Switzerland ranks 6th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of human rights rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of human rights. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which people are free from government torture, political killings, and forced labor, they have property rights, and enjoy the freedoms of movement, religion, expression, and association.